Clarity of Purpose
by denise1
Summary: An early Teal'c POV fic


Clarity of Purpose

By

Denise

I step out of the gate and immediately begin to survey our surroundings. Something about this world makes me feel uneasy. The boy, Nyan appears to be a good person. However, something is wrong. Nyan is far too nervous, even considering he is meeting beings from another world.

I believe O'Neill feels the same way. He is...I believe the term the humans use is jumpy.

A part of me wonders if this gate was inaccessible for a reason. Perhaps we were never meant to come to this world?

I am curious why the humans work so hard to check inoperative gates when there are untold thousands of worlds to explore that have working gates. Perchance there is a reason the gates do not work. Maybe there are worlds we are not meant to visit.

I walk a little way from the others. Maybe distance will aid me in perceiving any danger while we still have time to escape. We are vulnerable this time. The simple act of having to manually dial increases our window of escape from a few seconds to several minutes. I need to be vigilant. If there is danger here we will need every possible second to escape through the safety of the Chaapa'ai.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I watch through the trees as the beams from the shuttle-like craft close upon my friends. O'Neill opens fire in an attempt to disable it, but his bullets bounce harmlessly off the craft's shields. One by one they fall motionless to the ground. A part of me wishes to break cover and run to aid them.

I have failed in my duty. When these Tau'ri befriended me, gave me a home, a chance to fight for my people's freedom, I silently swore to protect them, especially DanielJackson. I often wonder at his immense capacity for forgiveness. If my Drey'ac had been taken from me as I stole Sha'uri from him, I would have killed the thief on sight. Yet DanielJackson has not only forgiven me, he has rewarded me with that invaluable thing called friendship.

Therefore, I force myself to remain hidden. I can not aid my friends by joining them. I must remain free so that I may, in turn, secure their freedom. Now that they are unconscious I must wait. If only one of them were injured, perhaps I could carry them away, seek refuge in this forest until we could make our escape.

I am a competent warrior, but I can not overpower such technologically advanced forces alone. In addition, though she showed me how to operate her Naquadah Reactor, Major Carter would handle the device far more efficiently than I.

I see the enemy around me, searching the woods. I must remain in my scanty cover. This is a time when I see the wisdom of the Tau'ri's military clothing. I could not have remained hidden in my Serpent Guard armor.

Wait...a noise. I fight the urge to look behind myself. Someone is attempting to, as O'Neill would say, sneak up on me. I patiently wait, my muscles tensing in anticipation as I hear the enemy draw closer. He is now within mere feet of me. I spin, my finger pulling the trigger on my staff weapon. His reactions are just as swift as my own. I feel the twin explosions of pain as I fall backwards. No! I can not die... not now... If I perish, so do my friends... I have failed...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I come back to my senses slowly, painfully. I force myself not to move. I know the one who wounded me is dead. But who then is moving towards me? I feel my symbiote writhe weakly in its pouch. It is wounded also. My face feels like it is on fire. I am severely damaged. I must force my stalker to come closer. I must make him think I am helpless, make him underestimate me.

He crouches beside me. I smell his fear and I feel the minuscule stirring of the air as he reaches out a hand. I thrust my hand up, grasping his throat. I now hold his life in my hands. It is Nyan.

He did not abandon us. He fled but returned. He suggests we seek concealment. I must trust him. I am blind and helpless as a child. I must not allow myself to be captured. Even if I can not rescue my friends I must remain free to answer General Hammond's summons when he begins to search for us. The last time I was wounded and separated from my friends I was unable to even report their status. I will not fail them this time.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Nyan has left me in a cave. One which is inhabited by odious flying creatures. I fight to control my fear. Not my fear of the creatures but my fear of abandoning my friends. My symbiote is severely injured. As a result my strength is a fraction of what it should be. It has been quite some time since Nyan left me. I fear he will not return. Perhaps he is captured also. Perhaps he feels it would be best if I die. I have learned I am proof his people have been fighting a needless war for decades. I am proof all his theories are incorrect. He wishes me to be evidence. I will not submit.

I am disappointed to learn Nyan may be no better than the Hassock Maybourne. Maybourne, the...creature who wished me to transform into alien insects for the sake of his research. Maybourne who has consistently tried to STUDY me. To that Hassock I am nothing but a curiosity. I will not submit. I think, even to save my friends I will not allow myself to be PROOF.

I do not want to trust Nyan. How can I know if he is truly aiding me or leading me into the same trap which claimed my friends? I do not want to trust him...but I must. Without my sight I doubt my ability to find them. Even now my mind tortures me with visions of how they are being treated. If I learned nothing else in my time with Apophis, I learned there is no limit to the cruelty one sentient being may inflict upon another. With every minute I spend cowering in the dark, the chances increase that my friends may die.

And if they perish due to my failure to protect them, I do not deserve to be called friend.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Nyan has returned. I am...surprised. Pleased but surprised. His words do not reassure me. My friends will be killed. Nyan has a device which may return my vision. I am hesitant but must consent. As he speaks to me I am reminded of DanielJackson. My instincts tell me I can indeed trust this man.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I fight to contain my joy, to show an impassive face. His device has worked. I fight my impatience. Nyan says it will take more treatments to fully heal my eyes. I do not wish to waste the time but I must acknowledge the fact that without my vision, I stand little chance of liberating my friends.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I feel intense relief as Nyan's device snaps off. Each treatment is progressively more painful and I clench my fist against the pain. Nyan speaks to me. I force my eyes open and am relieved to see the blurry image of my hands. In a perfect world I would endure further treatments to return my vision to its previous state. However this is not a perfect world. My vision is not fully restored but it is good enough. We must not tarry here any longer. I hand Nyan my Zat-nik-atel as I force myself to my feet. If he is to aid me, he must be armed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

We commandeer the shuttle. Nyan has told me it is the only way to breech the quarantine field imprisoning my friends.

It is Nyan who pilots the shuttle, with enthusiasm if not skill. We follow his plan. It is a sound strategy coming from one so young.

I remain in the shuttle, firing at the Bedrosians as I trust Nyan to liberate my friends. It is at that moment I know he must return with us.

By openly betraying his people he has most likely condemned himself.

Over the sounds of weapons fire I hear O'Neill yell at DanielJackson to dial home. I fire more often now to cover the young man's attempt. The fact that DanielJackson is well enough to assist in our escape reassures me. It is likely the others are well also.

I catch a glimpse of blue light and hear the familiar whoosh that tells me DanielJackson has been successful. I shift my weapon and reach for my GDO. I yell at them, telling them it is all right to leave.

Someone enters the shuttle as I crouch behind a divider. It is now I face my fate. I raise my stolen weapon, ready to defend myself. Yet something stays my fingers... something, I know not what, prevents me from shooting the intruder.

It is O'Neill. He has come to aid me, illustrating with deeds rather than words that which makes the Tau'ri so formidable. Loyalty.

He guides me towards the gate. I hear someone covering us. It must be Nyan. O'Neill would have insured DanielJackson and SamanthaCarter had attained safety before aiding me. I hear a cry and realize Nyan has fallen. I pull myself from O'Neill's grasp and go back for the boy. He will return with us. I will not accept any other outcome.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I am relieved to learn Nyan will be allowed to remain on Earth. To return him to Bedrosia would be to return him to certain death. O'Neill agreed with my assertion and argued for Nyan being given amnesty here. DanielJackson will give him a home, a purpose. It is another example of my friends', especially DanielJackson's immense capacity to forgive. Few men, people, would welcome a former enemy into their fold so willingly.

I see in Nyan an enthusiasm and innocence I once saw in DanielJackson. He will fit in well here. And perhaps one day he can return home.

fin


End file.
